EDITORIAL BY GRAYDON FOX

Overview:

On Saturday, December 1^st, the (8-4) Memphis Tigers will take on the (11-0) UCF Knights in the AAC Championship Game.

The Crowd:

The Crowd projects a final score of UCF 35.0 – Memphis 31.0 with an over/under of 66.0.

Lou Holtz and Mark May:

Lou is predicting a final score of UCF 38 – Memphis 28.

Mark is predicting a final score of Memphis 34 – UCF 31.

2018-19 Statistics (130 total teams):

Passing offense: UCF 261.7 YPG (34^th) > Memphis 254.3 YPG (43^rd)

Rushing offense: Memphis 275.9 YPG (5^th) > UCF 269.8 YPG (6^th)

Scoring offense: Memphis 43.8 PPG (6^th) > UCF 43.1 PPG (8^th)

Scoring defense: UCF 19.5 PPG (18^th) > Memphis 29.5 PPG (81^st)

Passing defense: UCF 197.5 YPG (33^rd) > Memphis 242.8 YPG (86^th)

Rushing defense: Memphis 154,5 (53^rd) > UCF 211.6 YPG (109^th)

Turnover Margin Per Game: UCF +1.6 (2^nd) > Memphis +0.1 (59^th)

Strength of Schedule:

Memphis is (8-4) with victories over Mercer, Georgia State, South Alabama, UConn, East Carolina, Tulsa, SMU, and Houston.  They were defeated by Navy, Tulane, #10 UCF, and Missouri.

UCF is a perfect (11-0) with victories over UConn, South Carolina State, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Pittsburgh, SMU, East Carolina, Navy, Temple, South Carolina, and #24 Cincinnati.

Betting Trends: 

– Memphis is 8-4 against the spread this season while UCF is 9-2.

– Memphis is 7-5 against the over/under this season whereas UCF is 3-8.

Bottom Line

UCF currently holds the nation’s longest active winning streak at 24 games but that is certianly in jeopardy.  UCF eeked out a 31-30 win over Memphis earlier this season.  UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton suffered a gruesome leg injury in last week’s win over South Florida and will be unable to play against Memphis.  The Tigers have a potent offense of their own and arguably the best running back in the country in Darrell Henderson (1,699 yards and 19 touchdowns).  Memphis takes advantage of Milton’s absence and finally ends the winning streak.

Memphis wins 34-31

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